For a variety of reasons, many different building constructions have been developed within which one or more spaces are provided having at least some aspect of an outdoor environment inside the building construction. That is, one or more elements from the outdoor environment are replicated or allowed to pass from the outdoors to inside the building. Residential and commercial building structures have been developed, for example, in order to take advantage of natural sunlight for lighting, to provide an environment for the display and growing of all types of flora, or to create a more "natural" living space or commercial space that incorporates elements of the outdoors into the buildings.
For the purpose of lighting a living or commercial space by natural sunlight, all sorts of window adaptations have been made. In commercial structures, glass atriums are well known covering courtyard, garden or market place type areas. Typically, such atriums enclose an area between adjacent buildings, or cover an open lobby area within such a building construction. In residential structures, skylights are commonly used, and three season rooms or sun porches are sometimes enclosed by walls and/or roof portions of glass.
As to the enjoyment of flora and growing of all types of plants, greenhouse structures are well known. Greenhouses may be constructed as a glass structure in and of itself, or may comprise a glass structure attached so as to extend from another building. For example, small greenhouse additions to residential and agricultural structures are common.
With respect to any of the type of structures discussed above, it is sometimes also desirable to create a more natural "outdoor" setting in addition to the provision for natural sunlight. That is, planters, gardens and other outdoor setting features may be somewhat duplicated within a residential or commercial building structure. Within the atriums discussed above, garden areas are often provided. In certain apartment buildings, condominiums and hospitals, solarium areas are known to provide residents/patients an area to relax in a more natural setting. In three season rooms and sun porches, planters are also common.
In each of these situations, however, and to varying degrees, these indoor spaces merely artificially simulate an outdoor environment within the building construction. For the purpose of growing plant life, plants are typically either provided in pots or planters or within an artificial soil containing area that has been created within the building construction. But, the main advantage of an artificial environment is that the climate can be effectively controlled within the inside environment so that plants of all varieties can be grown regardless of the diverse climatic conditions that may occur outdoors. In this regard, significant technological advances have been recently made for the provision and control of environmental conditions within building structures.